[quote=Lenard Anders J]Why is the precedure of Confession done the way it is done.
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It’s clearly mandated in scripture. For example, John 20,20-23:

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 (Jesus) said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Jesus sends the Apostles forth and tells them they have the power to forgive and retain sins. How are they do do that, other than through confession and absolution?

For a more detailed discussion of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1422 through 1470.

Confession isn’t always “in a booth” or confessional. We do have the confessional booths for privacy. But a person can also make an appointment to go face to face to a priest. And, many parishes design the confessional room so that confession may be done either face to face or behind a screen for privacy.

[quote=Lenard Anders J]Why is the precedure of Confession done the way it is done.
[/quote]

Hi Lenard Anders,
Good question Lenard.
Suppose confession went like this.
If you sinned against someone ( say you had a sustained bad thought about that person) you went to that person, confessed your sin to them and asked them for their forgiveness.
For sins not involving any person in particular you confessed to God. ( He is alive and He does hear. When the priest is in the box I suppose you can’t see him either if that is what you wish.) Why is the priest better than God for those sins?
Walk in love,
edwinG

[quote=edwinG]Hi Lenard Anders,
Good question Lenard.
Suppose confession went like this.
If you sinned against someone ( say you had a sustained bad thought about that person) you went to that person, confessed your sin to them and asked them for their forgiveness.
For sins not involving any person in particular you confessed to God. ( He is alive and He does hear. When the priest is in the box I suppose you can’t see him either if that is what you wish.) Why is the priest better than God for those sins?
Walk in love,
edwinG
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Edwin, why do you ask this question when you know the answer as well as any Catholic?

The Priest is not “better than God.” Do we not confess to God during Confession to a Priest? You don’t think God leaves the room do you? And it is “better” because it is the preferential means Jesus has given to us through his Church to approach his mercy. Paul describes this ministry:

God . . through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:18)

[quote=edwinG]Hi Lenard Anders,
Good question Lenard.
Suppose confession went like this.
If you sinned against someone ( say you had a sustained bad thought about that person) you went to that person, confessed your sin to them and asked them for their forgiveness.
For sins not involving any person in particular you confessed to God. ( He is alive and He does hear. When the priest is in the box I suppose you can’t see him either if that is what you wish.) Why is the priest better than God for those sins?
Walk in love,
edwinG
[/quote]

The priest is NOT “better than God” for those sins.
The priest acts in persona Christi - in the person of Christ by virtue of his ordination. It is Christ who forgives your sins, not the human priest. Christ acts through the priest, his representative.

Jesus gave the Apostles (precisley) the power to forgive sins, to cast out demons, to heal. They cannot give absolution without being TOLD what the sins are.

God made us and he knows our weaknesses. In order to understand, we must see, hear, taste, touch and smell. We are beings who require “proof”. I know for certain that when I receive absolution from Christ through the priest, when he says the words, “I absolve you…” I AM ABSOLUTELY FORGIVEN, no question - I saw the priest, I heard him say those words - I have “proof”. God uses the things and people of this world to help us know Him and His mercy.

You do not have to go in a “booth” ( it is called a confessional, by the way)

The last two times I went to confession was face to face. The priest sat in a chair in the back of the church and I had a chair in front of him. In the “old days” it was face to face. In other countries it is face to face today. My Pastor has 4 confessionals but choses to sit in a chair. I prefer to go face to face.

The practice of how confession is done can and has changed. The basics are still there.

It used to be that people had to confess in front of everyone as well as the priest.

Since Christ gave the Church the right to make and change the rules (:bible1: Mt. 16:19; Mt 18:18), the Church has changed the rules on exactly how confession should be done. However, as Christ directed in :bible1: John 20:21-23, priests are the ones who have been given the authority to forgive in God’s name.

Only God forgives sin. The sins are still confessed “straight to God”. They are just confessed in the way Christ directed us to.

Doesn’t this appy to every Christian? We are after all, all Brothers of Jesus and thus empowered and whenever two or more of us agree on something it happens, though there is a deeper meaning here,one must read a lot further, it would have to be in accordance with Gods’ will, as He is our Father and we do wish to stay in His house forever! I mean there is Matthew 7:7-12 Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find…
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins one to another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
A couple of verses earlier it does say if we’re sick to call on the elders of the church.
Anyway, i’ve taken this to mean all Christians, the elders are older more experianced Christians, the Church is the body of Christ of which Jesus alone is the head.
Maybe i’ve left the subject of confession a little, but everything in the Bible has a connection, i do hope i haven’t done something forbidden in this forum, though from what i’ve read, probably not.
God bless anyone who replies with a correction or any wisdom on this subject.
Tim

The Catholic view of Confession, and the special place of priests as ministers of the Sacrament, comes from John 20:23 – Jesus breathes on the 10 assembled disciples – and says “receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you retain, they are retained.” Further affirmation comes in the promise to Peter in Mt. 16 that he will receive the Keys to bind and loose in heaven and earth. This is not a general donation to everyone.

Catholics embrace with enthusiasm the passages you quote from James. And there was a time in the early Church when confessions were made publicly before the entire congregation – although always, apparently, in the presence of the priest (elder = presbyter, which etymologically = priest). It did not take long for this practice to be modified to a more practical and private forum, to the priest alone. (And aren’t we glad about THAT!)

You have given me something to think about in mentioning the gifts which apply to the whole Church. This relates to what we call the priesthood of all believers. The particular priesthood of Holy Orders is a particular charism. Here is a paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which describes the difference.

**

1547 The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, “each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ.” While being “ordered one to another,” they differ essentially.22 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace --a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit–, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a *means *by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders. **

There can be no question about it – in John 20,23, Christ Himself grants the power to forgive sins (in His name, of course) to the Apostles. That is what lawyers call “black letter law” – not an interpretation but an explicit command.

Thank you very much, though i see things differently i have learnt more than i knew, which is a reason to thank God once more, Praise the Lord for you and your wisdom.

[quote=mercygate]The Catholic view of Confession, and the special place of priests as ministers of the Sacrament, comes from John 20:23 – Jesus breathes on the 10 assembled disciples – and says “receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you retain, they are retained.” Further affirmation comes in the promise to Peter in Mt. 16 that he will receive the Keys to bind and loose in heaven and earth. This is not a general donation to everyone.

Catholics embrace with enthusiasm the passages you quote from James. And there was a time in the early Church when confessions were made publicly before the entire congregation – although always, apparently, in the presence of the priest (elder = presbyter, which etymologically = priest). It did not take long for this practice to be modified to a more practical and private forum, to the priest alone. (And aren’t we glad about THAT!)

You have given me something to think about in mentioning the gifts which apply to the whole Church. This relates to what we call the priesthood of all believers. The particular priesthood of Holy Orders is a particular charism. Here is a paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which describes the difference.

[quote=mercygate]Edwin, why do you ask this question when you know the answer as well as any Catholic?

The Priest is not “better than God.” Do we not confess to God during Confession to a Priest? You don’t think God leaves the room do you? And it is “better” because it is the preferential means Jesus has given to us through his Church to approach his mercy. Paul describes this ministry:

God . . through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:18)
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Because Edwin has nothing else to do with his time there north of Bangkok and because the Buddhists and Moslems regularly put him in his place. ???